shift gears

verb

To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.

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Meanings

verbshift gears (third-person singular simple present shifts gears, present participle shifting gears, simple past and past participle shifted gears)

present singular third person shifts gears · participle present shifting gears · participle past shifted gears · past shifted gears

  1. To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.
  2. idiomaticTo change pace or mode of operation.

Translations

Italian cambiare marcia, cambiare marcia
  • cambiare marciachange the gear by which motion is transmitted
  • cambiare marciachange mode of operation
Polish zmieniać biegi, zmienić biegi
  • zmieniać biegichange the gear by which motion is transmitted
  • zmienić biegichange the gear by which motion is transmitted
  • zmieniać biegichange mode of operation
  • zmienić biegichange mode of operation
Cite this entry
APA

shift gears. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shift%20gears

MLA

“shift gears.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shift%20gears. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shift gears,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shift%20gears.

Source: shift gears on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.